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Abstract:

The present disclosure provides a method, server, and terminal for
dynamically modifying a short message icon. The method includes:
receiving a first short message sent to a recipient user terminal, where
the first short message carries sender information and recipient
information of the short message; selecting, according to the sender
information and recipient information of the first short message, a short
message icon identifier to be displayed by the recipient user terminal;
and sending a second short message to the recipient user terminal, where
the second short message carries the selected short message icon
identifier so that the recipient user terminal displays, according to the
selected short message icon identifier, a short message icon
corresponding to the selected short message icon identifier. The present
disclosure enables more convenient and flexible displaying of a short
message icon.

Claims:

1. A method for dynamically displaying a short message icon, comprising:
receiving, by a server having a processor, a first short message sent to
a recipient user terminal, wherein the first short message carries sender
information and recipient information of a short message; selecting,
according to the sender information and recipient information of the
first short message, a short message icon identifier to be displayed by
the recipient user terminal; and sending, by the server, a second short
message to the recipient user terminal, wherein the second short message
carries the selected short message icon identifier so that the recipient
user terminal displays, according to the selected short message icon
identifier, a short message icon corresponding to the selected short
message icon identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving and
storing a location update message sent by the recipient user terminal,
wherein the location update message carries a recipient user identifier
and recipient information; sending a short message icon and a
corresponding short message icon identifier to the recipient user
terminal according to the recipient user identifier or the recipient
information, so that the recipient user terminal stores the short message
icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier; and storing the
recipient user identifier, the recipient information, and a short message
icon identifier that are corresponding to a short message icon sent to
the recipient user terminal.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: the selecting, according to
the sender information and recipient information of the short message,
the short message icon identifier to be displayed by the recipient user
terminal specifically comprises: obtaining, according to the recipient
information, a stored short message icon identifier corresponding to the
short message icon sent to the recipient user terminal; and selecting,
according to the sender information of the short message and the stored
short message icon identifier corresponding to the short message icon
sent to the recipient user terminal, the short message icon identifier to
be displayed by the recipient user terminal.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: determining,
according to recipient information carried in the first short message,
that the recipient user terminal supports dynamically displaying a short
message icon.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the determining, according to
the recipient information carried in the first short message, that the
recipient user terminal supports dynamically displaying a short message
icon comprises: obtaining device capability information of the recipient
user terminal according to the recipient information carried in the first
short message; and determining, according to the device capability
information of the recipient user terminal, that the recipient user
terminal supports dynamically displaying a short message icon.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the location update message
further carries a recipient hardware identifier, and the method further
comprises: obtaining, according to the recipient hardware identifier,
device capability information corresponding to the hardware identifier;
and storing the recipient hardware identifier, the device capability
information, and the recipient user identifier; or storing the recipient
hardware identifier, the device capability information, the recipient
user identifier, and the recipient information; and the sending the short
message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier to the
recipient user terminal according to the recipient user identifier or the
recipient user information comprises: obtaining the device capability
information of the recipient user terminal according to the recipient
user identifier or the recipient user information, and sending the short
message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier to the
recipient user terminal according to the device capability information of
the recipient user terminal and the recipient user identifier.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: sending,
according to a stored short message icon identifier, the recipient user
identifier, and the device capability information of the recipient user
terminal, a short message icon identifier that needs to be deleted to the
recipient user terminal, so that the recipient user terminal deletes the
stored short message icon identifier and corresponding short message icon
according to the short message icon identifier that needs to be deleted.

8. A method for dynamically displaying a short message icon, comprising:
receiving a short message, wherein the short message carries a short
message icon identifier; obtaining, according to the short message icon
identifier, a stored short message icon corresponding to the short
message icon identifier; and displaying the short message icon on a
display screen.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: sending a
location update message, wherein the location update message carries a
recipient user identifier and recipient information, so that a server for
dynamically displaying a short message icon sends a short message icon
and a corresponding short message icon identifier according to the
recipient user identifier or the recipient information; and receiving the
short message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier
that are sent by the server for dynamically displaying a short message
icon, and storing the short message icon and the corresponding short
message icon identifier.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the location update message
further carries a recipient hardware identifier, so that the server for
dynamically displaying a short message icon obtains, according to the
recipient hardware identifier, device capability information
corresponding to the hardware identifier, and determines, according to
the device capability information, that the recipient user terminal
supports dynamically displaying a short message icon.

11. The method according to claim 8 further comprising: receiving a short
message icon identifier that needs to be deleted; and deleting a stored
short message icon identifier and corresponding short message icon
according to the short message icon identifier that needs to be deleted.

12. A server for dynamically displaying a short message icon, comprising:
a receiving unit, configured to receive a first short message sent to a
recipient user terminal, wherein the first short message carries sender
information and recipient information of the short message; a selecting
unit, configured to select, according to the sender information and
recipient information of the short message, a short message icon
identifier to be displayed by the recipient user terminal; and a sending
unit, configured to send a second short message to the recipient user
terminal, wherein the second short message carries the selected short
message icon identifier so that the recipient user terminal displays,
according to the selected short message icon identifier, a short message
icon corresponding to the selected short message icon identifier.

13. The server according to claim 12, wherein: the receiving unit is
further configured to receive a location update message sent by the
recipient user terminal, wherein the location update message carries a
recipient user identifier and recipient information; the sending unit is
further configured to send a short message icon and a corresponding short
message icon identifier to the recipient user terminal according to the
recipient user identifier, so that the recipient user terminal stores the
short message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier;
and the server further comprises: a storing unit, configured to store the
location update message sent by the recipient user terminal, and store
the recipient user identifier, the recipient information, and the short
message icon identifier that are corresponding to the short message icon
sent to the recipient user terminal.

14. The server according to claim 13, wherein the selecting unit is
specifically configured to obtain, according to the recipient
information, a stored short message icon identifier corresponding to the
short message icon sent to the recipient user terminal; and select,
according to the sender information of the short message and the stored
short message icon identifier corresponding to the short message icon
sent to the recipient user terminal, the short message icon identifier to
be displayed by the recipient user terminal.

15. The server according to claim 13, further comprising: a determining
unit, configured to determine, according to capability information
comprised in the recipient information, that the recipient user terminal
supports dynamically displaying a short message icon.

16. The server according to claim 13, wherein: the location update
message further carries a recipient hardware identifier; the server
further comprises an obtaining unit, configured to obtain, according to
the recipient hardware identifier, device capability information
corresponding to the hardware identifier; the storing unit is further
configured to store the recipient hardware identifier, the device
capability information, and the recipient user identifier; or store the
recipient hardware identifier, the device capability information, the
recipient user identifier, and the recipient information; and the sending
unit being further configured to send, according to the recipient user
identifier, the short message icon and the corresponding short message
icon identifier to the recipient user terminal comprises: obtaining, by
the sending unit, device capability information of the recipient user
terminal according to the recipient user identifier, and sending the
short message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier to
the recipient user terminal according to the device capability
information of the recipient user terminal and the recipient user
identifier.

17. The server according to claim 16, wherein the sending unit is further
configured to send, according to a stored short message icon identifier,
the recipient user identifier, and the device capability information of
the recipient user terminal, a short message icon identifier that needs
to be deleted to the recipient user terminal, so that the recipient user
terminal deletes the stored short message icon identifier and the
corresponding short message icon according to the short message icon
identifier that needs to be deleted.

18. A terminal for dynamically displaying a short message icon,
comprising: a receiving unit, configured to receive a short message,
wherein the short message carries a short message icon identifier; an
obtaining unit, configured to obtain, according to the short message icon
identifier, a stored short message icon corresponding to the short
message icon identifier; and a displaying unit, configured to display the
short message icon.

19. The terminal according to claim 18, further comprising: a sending
unit, configured to send a location update message, wherein the location
update message carries a recipient user identifier and recipient
information, so that a server for dynamically displaying a short message
icon sends a short message icon and a corresponding short message icon
identifier according to the recipient user identifier or the recipient
information; wherein the receiving unit is further configured to receive
the short message icon and the corresponding short message icon
identifier that are sent by the server for dynamically displaying a short
message icon, and store the short message icon and the corresponding
short message icon identifier.

20. The terminal according to claim 19, wherein the receiving unit is
further configured to receive a short message icon identifier that needs
to be deleted; and the terminal further comprises: a deleting unit,
configured to delete stored short message icon identifier and
corresponding short message icon according to the short message icon
identifier that needs to be deleted.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of International Application No.
PCT/CN2011/073065, filed on Apr. 20, 2011, which claims priority to
Chinese Patent Application No. 201010251914.7, filed on Aug. 5, 2010,
both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of communications
technologies, and in particular, to a method, server, and terminal for
displaying a short message icon.

BACKGROUND

[0003] A short message advertisement is usually some advertisement
information appended to a normal short message, and is difficult for a
user to accept. It is required that the user's normal use of a short
message function should not be affected when the short message carries
advertisement information. After the inbox of the short message function
is opened, an icon is displayed in front of the short message, and the
icon is a default and fixed icon in the mobile phone. In the prior art,
an over-the-air technology (OTA, Over-the-Air Technology) may be used to
change an icon stored in specific mobile phone, so that different short
message icons may be stored and displayed in different time segments.
However, the OTA technology in the prior art can only store and display,
based on specific mobile phones, different short message icons in
different time segments, resulting in mechanical and inflexible
displaying of short message icons.

SUMMARY

[0004] The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and
communication system for dynamically displaying a short message icon, so
as to solve the problem in the prior art that the OTA technology can only
display stored a short message icon for specific mobile phone.

[0005] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for
dynamically displaying a short message icon. In the method, a server
having a processor receives a first short message sent to a recipient
user terminal, where the first short message carries sender information
and recipient information of the short message. The server selects,
according to the sender information and recipient information of the
first short message, a short message icon identifier to be displayed by
the recipient user terminal. The server sends a second short message to
the recipient user terminal, where the second short message carries the
selected short message icon identifier so that the recipient user
terminal displays, according to the selected short message icon
identifier, a short message icon corresponding to the selected short
message icon identifier.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for
dynamically displaying a short message icon, including: receiving a short
message, where the short message carries a short message icon identifier;
obtaining, according to the short message icon identifier, a stored short
message icon corresponding to the short message icon identifier; and
displaying the short message icon on a display screen.

[0007] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a server for
dynamically displaying a short message icon, including: a receiving unit,
configured to receive a first short message sent to a recipient user
terminal, where the first short message carries sender information and
recipient information of the short message; a selecting unit, configured
to select, according to the sender information and recipient information
of the short message, a short message icon identifier to be displayed by
the recipient user terminal; and a sending unit, configured to send a
second short message to the recipient user terminal, where the second
short message carries the selected short message icon identifier so that
the recipient user terminal displays, according to the selected short
message icon identifier, a short message icon corresponding to the
selected short message icon identifier.

[0008] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a terminal
for dynamically displaying a short message icon, including: a receiving
unit, configured to receive a short message, where the short message
carries a short message icon identifier; an obtaining unit, configured to
obtain, according to the short message icon identifier, a stored short
message icon corresponding to the short message icon identifier; and a
displaying unit, configured to display the short message icon.

[0009] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a short message icon
identifier to be displayed by the recipient user terminal is selected
according to the sender information and recipient information of the
short message, and the selected short message icon identifier is carried
in the short message sent to the recipient user terminal, so that the
recipient user terminal displays the selected short message icon.
Therefore, the recipient user terminal may dynamically display a short
message icon according to the sender information of a short message,
which solves the problem in the prior art that stored short message icon
can only be displayed for specific mobile phone in different time
segments, and enables more convenient and flexible displaying of short
message icon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] To make the solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure
clearer, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the
embodiments are briefly described below. Evidently, the accompanying
drawings illustrate some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure
and persons skilled in the art may obtain other drawings based on these
drawings without creative efforts.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for dynamically displaying a
short message icon according to a first embodiment of the present
disclosure;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for dynamically displaying a
short message icon according to a second embodiment of the present
disclosure;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a server for dynamically
displaying a short message icon according to a third embodiment of the
present disclosure; and

[0014] FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of a terminal for dynamically
displaying a short message icon according to a fourth embodiment of the
present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0015] To make the objective, solutions, and advantages of the embodiments
of the present disclosure clearer, the following describes the
embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to
accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiments of the present
disclosure and the description thereof are intended to explain the
present disclosure, and shall not be construed as a limitation on the
present disclosure.

Embodiment 1

[0016] This embodiment provides a method for dynamically displaying a
short message icon. As shown in FIG. 1, the method includes the following
steps:

[0017] Step 101: Receive a first short message sent to a recipient user
terminal, where the first short message carries sender information and
recipient information of the short message.

[0018] This step is executed by a server for dynamically displaying a
short message icon, and specifically, may be executed by a receiving unit
in the server. In this step, the server for dynamically displaying the
short message icon receives a first message sent by an operator or other
senders to the recipient user terminal, where the first short message
carries sender information for indicating the operator identifier or
other sender identities, such as a number or other identities, and
recipient information for indicating a user terminal identifier, such as
a mobile phone number or other identities.

[0019] Step 102: Select, according to the sender information and recipient
information of the first short message, a short message icon identifier
to be displayed by the recipient user terminal.

[0020] This step is executed by the server for dynamically displaying the
short message icon, and specifically, may be executed by a selecting unit
in the server. The step is specifically as follows: the server for
dynamically displaying the short message icon obtains, according to the
recipient information, the stored short message icon identifier
corresponding to the short message icon sent to the recipient user
terminal; and selects, according to the sender information of the short
message and the stored short message icon identifier corresponding to the
short message icon sent to the recipient user terminal, the short message
icon identifier to be displayed by the recipient user terminal.

[0021] In this embodiment, the server for dynamically displaying the short
message icon matches and stores the short message icon identifier
corresponding to the short message icon sent to the recipient user
terminal and the recipient information. Different short message icon
identifiers correspond to different senders. For the specific mapping,
reference may be made to Table 1:

[0022] Therefore, after obtaining, according to the recipient information
in the first short message, the short message icon identifier stored by
the recipient, the server for dynamically displaying the short message
icon may select, according to the sender information in the first short
message and the stored short message icon identifier corresponding to the
short message icon sent to the recipient user terminal, the short message
icon identifier to be displayed by the recipient user terminal.

[0023] Step 103: Send a second short message to the recipient user
terminal, where the second short message carries the selected short
message icon identifier, so that the recipient user terminal displays,
according to the selected short message icon identifier, a short message
icon corresponding to the selected short message icon identifier.

[0024] This step is executed by the server for dynamically displaying the
short message icon, and specifically, may be executed by a sending unit
in the server. This step is specifically as follows: the server for
dynamically displaying the short message icon sends, according to the
recipient information, the second short message to a user terminal, such
as a value-added data short message (OTA short message). The second short
message may carry the selected short message icon identifier which is
used for instructing a terminal to display the short message icon
corresponding to the selected short message icon identifier. The short
message icon identifier may be carried by extending unused bytes in a
short message protocol. Taking the SMS-DELIVER message as an example, the
initial byte of the SMS-DELIVER message includes information such as
TP-MTI, TP-MMS, TP-SRI, TP-UDHI, and TP-RP, and for the specific
distribution, reference may be made to the form of Table 2:

[0025] The two unused bit4 and bit3 may be used to carry a short message
icon identifier, or other extended fields may be used to support more
selections, for example, the short message icon identifier is carried in
the message header of a sent second short message. The specific short
message icon identifier is stored in the user terminal and the server for
dynamically displaying the short message icon respectively, and for the
form, reference may be made to the form in Table 1.

[0026] In the first embodiment, before step 102 is executed, the server
for dynamically displaying the short message icon may also obtain,
according to the recipient information carried in the first short
message, the device capability information of the recipient user
terminal; and determine, according to the device capability information
of the recipient user terminal, that the recipient user terminal supports
dynamically displaying the short message icon. For the description of the
device capability information of the recipient user terminal, reference
may be made to Table 3. The server for dynamically displaying the short
message icon determines that the recipient user terminal supports
dynamically displaying the short message icon, which is specifically as
follows: the server for dynamically displaying the short message icon
judges, according to the hardware identifier in the device information,
that the recipient user terminal supports the function of customizing OTA
and the function of receiving extended short messages.

[0027] The obtaining, according to the recipient information, the device
capability information of the recipient user terminal, is executed by the
server for dynamically displaying the short message icon, and
specifically, may be executed by an obtaining unit in the server. This
step may specifically be as follows: querying an information database
according to the recipient information and obtaining the device
capability information indicating that the user terminal supports
customizing OTA and/or receiving extended short messages. The information
database may be located in the server for dynamically displaying the
short message icon, or may be a separate entity server. For example, the
information database is located in the server for dynamically displaying
the short message icon. An update process is performed when the user
terminal is powered on or during a cell handover and the server for
dynamically displaying the short message icon receives a location update
message reported by the user terminal; the location update message may
carry a user identifier (such as an international mobile subscriber
identifier number, IMSI), recipient information (such as a mobile
subscriber international ISDN number, Mobile Subscriber International
ISDN, MSISDN) and a hardware identifier (international mobile equipment
identifier, IMEI). After a mobile switching center (Mobile Switching
Center) MSC authenticates a user, the MSC reports the above update
information to the server for dynamically displaying the short message
icon. The server for dynamically displaying the short message icon
obtains the device capability information of the user terminal through
the hardware identifier, and matches and stores the above information
through a storage table, therefore establishing an information database.
The structure of the storage table is shown in Table 3:

[0028] The server for dynamically displaying the short message icon
queries the information database to obtain the capability information
indicating whether the terminal corresponding to the hardware identifier
in the above location update message supports customizing the OTA
technology and/or receiving extended short messages. The server for
dynamically displaying the short message icon determines, according to
the capability information in the device information, whether the
terminal corresponding to the hardware identifier supports customizing
the OTA technology and/or receiving extended short messages. If both the
function of customizing the OTA technology and the function of receiving
extended short messages are supported, the server determines that the
short message recipient supports dynamically displaying a short message
icon, and then sends a short message icon and a corresponding short
message icon identifier to the recipient user terminal according to the
user identifier or the device capability information of the user
terminal, so that the recipient user terminal stores the short message
icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier; and stores the
short message icon identifier sent to the recipient user terminal. The
server for dynamically displaying short message icon may further send,
according to the stored short message icon identifier, a short message
icon identifier that needs to be deleted to the recipient user terminal,
so that the recipient user terminal deletes the stored short message icon
identifier and the corresponding short message icon according to the
short message icon identifier that needs to be deleted.

[0029] In this embodiment, the server for dynamically displaying short
message icon may be a separate entity server, or may be located in a
short message center.

[0030] In this embodiment, a short message icon identifier to be displayed
by the recipient user terminal is selected according to the sender
information and recipient information of the short message, and the
selected short message icon identifier is carried in the short message
sent to the recipient user terminal, so that the recipient user terminal
displays the selected short message icon. Therefore, the recipient user
terminal may dynamically display short message icon according to the
sender information of short messages.

Embodiment 2

[0031] This embodiment provides a method for dynamically displaying a
short message icon. As shown in FIG. 2, the method includes the following
steps:

[0032] Step 201: Receive a short message, where the short message carries
a short message icon identifier.

[0033] This step is executed by a user terminal, and specifically, may be
executed by a receiving unit in the user terminal. The step is
specifically as follows: the user terminal receives a short message sent
by a short message center, where the short message carries a short
message icon identifier.

[0034] Step 202: Obtain, according to the short message icon identifier, a
stored short message icon corresponding to the short message icon
identifier.

[0035] This step is executed by the user terminal, and specifically, may
be executed by a querying unit in the user terminal. The step is
specifically as follows: the user terminal queries, according to the
short message icon identifier, the stored short message icon
corresponding to the short message icon identifier, and obtains the short
message icon corresponding to the short message icon identifier.

[0036] In an embodiment, when the user terminal is powered on or during a
cell handover, an update process is performed, and a location update
message is reported. The location update message carries a user
identifier (such as an international mobile subscriber identifier number,
IMSI), recipient information (such as a mobile subscriber international
ISDN number, MSISDN) and a hardware identifier (IMEI). The location
update message may further carry the device capability information of the
user terminal. After authenticating the user, an MSC reports the above
information to a server for dynamically displaying short message icon.
The server for dynamically displaying a short message icon stores the
above information through a storage table, therefore establishing an
information database, and obtains the capability information
corresponding to the terminal according to the IMEI, and stores the
information. The server for dynamically displaying short message icon
judges, according to the capability information in the device
information, whether the user terminal supports the function of
customizing OTA and the function of receiving extended short messages. If
both the function of customizing OTA and the function of receiving
extended short messages are supported, the server determines that the
short message recipient supports dynamically displaying short message
icon, and then sends a short message icon and a corresponding short
message icon identifier to the recipient user terminal according to the
user identifier or the device information, so that the recipient user
terminal stores the short message icon and the corresponding short
message icon identifier.

[0037] In addition, after receiving the location update message reported
by the terminal, the server for dynamically displaying a short message
icon may further judge, according to the terminal capability information
obtained through the IMEI in the location update message, how many short
message icon identifiers can be stored by the terminal, and determine,
according to the number of short message icon identifiers stored
supported by the terminal and the recipient information of the location
update message, whether to delete a short message icon stored by the
terminal. For example, the terminal may support storing a lot of short
message icon, for example, 20, but the terminal stores only 8 short
message icon at this time. According to the user identifier in the
location update message, it is determined that the user has changed the
network, for example, changed from China Mobile to China Unicorn, and
that short message icon related to China Unicorn need to be added. In
this case, the server for dynamically displaying a short message icon may
directly send the short message icon related to China. Unicorn and the
corresponding short message icon identifiers to the terminal. However, in
this embodiment, if the terminal only supports storing 8 icons, the short
message center needs to send a message for instructing the terminal to
delete the short message icon stored by the terminal and the
corresponding short message icon identifiers and a message for
instructing the terminal to add a short message icon and the
corresponding short message icon. Of course, the instruction for deleting
a short message icon and the instruction for adding a short message icon
may be in a same message.

[0038] Step 203: Display the short message icon. This step is executed by
the user terminal, and specifically, may be executed by a displaying unit
in the user terminal.

[0039] In addition, in the exemplary embodiment, the user terminal may
also delete the stored short message icon identifier and corresponding
short message icon according to the short message icon identifier that
needs to be deleted.

[0040] In this embodiment, the user terminal receives and stores the short
message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier, and
then displays the corresponding short message icon according to the short
message icon identifier sent by the server for dynamically displaying a
short message icon, so that the recipient user terminal may dynamically
display the short message icon according to the sender information of the
short message.

[0041] This embodiment provides a server for dynamically displaying a
short message icon. As shown in FIG. 3, the server includes: a receiving
unit 301, configured to receive a first short message sent to a recipient
user terminal, where the first short message carries sender information
and recipient information of the short message; a selecting unit 302,
configured to select, according to the sender information and recipient
information of the short message, a short message icon identifier to be
displayed by the recipient user terminal; and a sending unit 306,
configured to send a second short message to the recipient user terminal,
where the second short message carries the selected short message icon
identifier so that the recipient user terminal displays, according to the
selected short message icon identifier, a short message icon
corresponding to the selected short message icon identifier.

[0042] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiving unit
301 is further configured to receive a location update message sent by
the recipient user terminal, where the location update message carries a
recipient user identifier and recipient information; the sending unit 306
is further configured to send a short message icon and the corresponding
short message icon identifier according to the recipient user identifier
to the recipient user terminal, so that the recipient user terminal
stores the short message icon and the corresponding short message icon
identifier; the server further includes a storing unit 303, configured to
store the location update message sent by the recipient user terminal,
and stores the recipient user identifier, the recipient information, and
the short message icon identifier that are corresponding to the short
message icon sent to the recipient user terminal.

[0043] In addition, the selecting unit 302 is specifically configured to
obtain, according to the recipient information, the stored short message
icon identifier corresponding to the short message icon sent to the
recipient user terminal; and select, according to the sender information
of the short message and the stored short message icon identifier
corresponding to the short message icon sent to the recipient user
terminal, the short message icon identifier to be displayed by the
recipient user terminal.

[0044] In addition, the embodiment of the present disclosure may further
include a determining unit 305, configured to determine, according to
capability information included in the recipient information, that the
recipient user terminal supports dynamically displaying short message
icon.

[0045] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the location
update message further carries a recipient hardware identifier; the
server further includes an obtaining unit 304, configured to obtain,
according to the recipient hardware identifier, the device capability
information corresponding to the hardware identifier; the storing unit
303 is further configured to store the recipient hardware identifier,
device capability information, and recipient user identifier, or store
the recipient hardware identifier, device capability information, and
recipient user identifier, and recipient information; the sending unit
306 being further configured to send, according to the recipient user
identifier, the short message icon and the corresponding short message
icon identifier to the recipient user terminal includes: obtaining, by
the sending unit, the device capability information of the recipient user
terminal according to the recipient user identifier, and sending the
short message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier to
the recipient user terminal according to the device capability
information of the recipient user terminal and the recipient user
identifier.

[0046] In addition, the sending unit 306 is further configured to send,
according to the stored short message icon identifier, the recipient user
identifier, and the device capability information of the recipient user
terminal, a short message icon identifier that needs to be deleted to the
recipient user terminal, so that the recipient user terminal deletes the
stored short message icon identifier and corresponding short message icon
according to the short message icon identifier that needs to be deleted.

[0047] In this embodiment, the server for dynamically displaying a short
message icon may be a separate server, or may be located in a short
message center, but may be a separate computer in both cases. The
function of the receiving unit 301 may be executed by a computer, and the
function of the sending unit 306 may be executed by a transmitter in the
computer. The selecting unit 302, storing unit 303, obtaining unit 304,
and determining unit 305 may all run on the processor of the computer.
The server for dynamically displaying a short message icon as shown in
FIG. 3 may execute any step executed by the server for dynamically
displaying a short message icon in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and
FIG. 2. Details are disclosed in the foregoing method embodiments and not
provided here again.

[0048] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the server for
dynamically displaying a short message icon may select, according to the
sender information and recipient information of the short message, the
short message icon identifier to be displayed by the recipient user
terminal, and carry the selected short message icon identifier in the
short message sent to the recipient user terminal, so that the recipient
user terminal displays the selected short message icon. Therefore, the
recipient user terminal may dynamically display a short message icon
according to the sender information of short messages.

[0049] FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of a terminal for dynamically
displaying a short message icon according to a fourth embodiment of the
present disclosure. The terminal for dynamically displaying a short
message icon includes: a receiving unit 401, configured to receive a
short message, where the short message carries a short message icon
identifier; an obtaining unit 402, configured to obtain, according to the
short message icon identifier, a stored short message icon corresponding
to the short message icon identifier; and a displaying unit 403,
configured to display the short message icon.

[0050] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal for
dynamically displaying a short message icon further includes: a sending
unit 404, configured to send a location update message, where the
location update message carries a recipient user identifier and recipient
information, so that a server for dynamically displaying a short message
icon sends the short message icon and the corresponding short message
icon identifier according to the recipient user identifier or recipient
information; the receiving unit 401 is further configured to receive the
short message icon and the corresponding short message icon identifier
that are sent by the server for dynamically displaying a short message
icon, and store the short message icon and the corresponding short
message icon identifier.

[0051] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiving unit
401 is further configured to receive a short message icon identifier that
needs to be deleted; the terminal for dynamically displaying a short
message icon further includes: a deleting unit 405, configured to delete
the stored short message icon identifier and the corresponding short
message icon according to the short message icon identifier that needs to
be deleted.

[0052] In this embodiment, the terminal for dynamically displaying a short
message icon may be various terminals such as a mobile phone and a PC
(personal computer). The function of the receiving unit 401 may be
executed by a receiver in the terminal, and the sending unit 404 may be a
transmitter in the terminal. The obtaining unit 402 and the deleting unit
405 may run on the processor of the terminal. The displaying unit may be
a display screen of the terminal. The terminal for dynamically displaying
a short message icon as shown in FIG. 4 may execute any step executed by
the terminal for dynamically displaying a short message icon in the
embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Details are disclosed in the
foregoing method embodiments and not provided here again.

[0053] The terminal for dynamically displaying a short message icon in the
embodiments of the present disclosure may display different short message
icons according to different short message icon identifiers carried in
the received short messages, so that the terminal displays the short
message icon more flexibly.

[0054] The above embodiments clarify the objective, solutions, and
benefits of the present disclosure in detail. It should be understood
that the disclosure has been described with reference to some exemplary
embodiments, but is not limited thereto. Any modifications,
substitutions, and improvements made to the disclosure without departing
from the spirit and principle of the disclosure shall fall within the
protection scope of the disclosure.